Beda Maria Stjernschantz (10 December 1867 – 28 May 1910)[1] was one of the first Finnish symbolist painters, whose main creative period was during the 1890s' fin de siècle epoch.

Her father was a military officer and high ranking civil servant, who also held a seat in the Nobility Chamber of the Diet of Finland.

[3] The family was not particularly wealthy, however, which meant that Beda Stjernschantz had to largely support herself financially, including paying for her art studies.

[4][1] She started out as a realist, but soon after her debut exhibition in 1891, and her subsequent visit to Paris the following year, began shifting increasingly towards symbolism.

[5] In her time, Stjernschantz was not very highly regarded and, despite her relatively privileged background, struggled throughout her career with financial problems and various external pressures, isolation, as well as artistic belittling; the resulting persistent 'melancholy' eventually lead her to take her own life in 1910, at the age of 42.